Baby Business Blog

Monday, January 8, 2018

The Fortis Cosmonautis Classic Chronographs were one of the highlights of Baselworld 2016. An update to as iconic a watch as the brand makes, the Cosmonautis Classic Chronographs were clean, bold and refreshing. Available in four styles mixing black and silver dials with steel and ceramic bezels, not to mention leather and bracelet options, there seemed to be a version that would suit most chronograph fans. The only downside was that they were a bit pricey, starting at just over 3,000 CHF. Well, that all changed last year when WatchBuys, their exclusive US retailer, implemented “direct pricing” and brought them down significantly, starting at $1,680. This made them not just a great looking watch, but also a solid value.

Before getting into the new watches (like CITIZEN ECO DRIVE PERPETUAL CALENDAR ) it’s worth brushing up on the history of this watch. While Fortis might not be the first brand to jump to mind when thinking of watches that have been to space, they have spent as much if not more time among the stars than others. Starting in 1994, Fortis have been part of the standard equipment for cosmonauts, racking in over 100,000 orbits over the years. The first Cosmonautis watch, which is a collectible today, was an awesome Lemania 5100powered 40mm chronograph. That watch served as the inspiration for the one we have here today.

For this review, we’ll be taking a look at the Fortis Cosmonautis Classic AM Ceramic model on the leather strap. This version comes in at $1,790 with some of the additional cost coming from the bezel. AM refers to the silver dial. For the most “traditional” version, you’d want to go for the steel bezel PM model.

The case of the Cosmonautis is a masculine 42mm x 51mm x 15mm. It’s not too big, though it’s getting there, still wearing well on my seven-inch wrist. It is a tall watch, but the height is dealt with through undercuts, a case back that dips into your wrist, rounded sides, and a domed crystal. Overall the design is pretty simple and well-finished, featuring thick tapering lugs with brushing; flowing sides finished in a full polish; and pushers, a crown and crown guards on the right side of the case. The real standout is the black ceramic tachymeter bezel. Being ceramic, it has a certain dull sheen and light texture to it that is very appealing. The white fill isn’t too bright, almost coming off a little aged.

My one issue with the case is actually a detail that admittedly appears to stay true to the original Cosmonautis from the ’90s; the watch features screw down pushers. It’s hardly the only watch to do so, and they do work and actually look pretty nice when screwed down, but they are annoying, especially so when you’re trying to manipulate them on the wrist. That, and the fact that the crown doesn’t screw down makes me wonder about their real utility on this watch.

Flipping the watch over, you’ll find a display case back showing off the Valjoux 7750 movement. It’s relatively undecorated as far as 7750s go; it has a custom rotor, but not much else. That said, it’s a chronograph, so there’s always something to look at. The rotor features some blue-filled etching including the Fortis logo, some stars and text that reads “World’s First Manufacturer of Automatic Wristwatches.” I wonder if a closed case back with art that told a bit about Fortis’ role with the Russian space program could have added to the overall package.

The dial is the star of the show with this watch. Not only in design—showing great balance, legibility and a good use of color—but also in quality. This is a dial to take a loupe to. Everything is perfect and sharp and exudes quality. One can’t always say that, especially at this price point, so it’s worthy of note here. Every detail is sharp, printing is exact, and textures and finishing are top-notch. It’s a dial you’d expect on something north of $5,000.

While the black version is classic, tried and true, the silver dial is a unique spin on a pilot (well, a space pilot) chronograph. The dial consists of two areas and three sub-dials separated by graining. The center area is sunburst, and contains the primary index of applied numerals for each hour, save three, six, nine and 12, which feature rectangular markers and a triangle, respectively. The applied markers are gorgeous, standing tall enough off the dial to add some nice depth, and they feature black borders with minty green lume fill.

Around the sunburst area is a grained surface with concentric circles, on which a minute/chronograph-seconds index is printed. The contrast of the two textures looks great, and it helps balance the width of the dial. One nice touch is that the rectangular and triangular applied markers break the line between the two areas. Moving back in, the circular graining is also used to separate out the sub-dials at six, nine and 12. Staying true to the 7750 mold, these sub-dials give you chronograph-hours, active seconds and chronograph-minutes, each with clear black numerals and lines for legibility.

At three, you’ll find the expected day-date window for the 7750 movement with the Fortis logo above and “chronograph automatic” below—details that are all well-executed and balanced. One bit of text that is unexpected, but a nice aesthetic detail, is the “classic cosmonauts” in orange arcing above the chronograph-hour counter at six.

For hands, Fortis went with classic, straight swords in black with lume filling for the hour and minute. They are thin, but clear and they look good. For the chronograph-seconds hand, they chose a tapering stick with a lumed arrow that’s half black, half orange. The sub-dials are then all sticks, with the chronograph functions in orange and the seconds in black. The color-coding with orange for the chronograph hands is something I always like to see. The orange here also looks especially good, playing off of the minty lume in a nice, almost mid-century pairing that pops off of the silver dial.

At 42mm, the Cosmonautis is a sizable watch, but it’s still tolerable on my seven-inc wrist. The bezel and the various textures and elements of the dial help the watch look a bit smaller and more compact. That said, at a 51mm lug-to-lug, it might over stretch some wrists that are smaller. I would love to see this watch at 40mm, as I think that would be a sweet spot for the design. Regardless, it looks incredible. The mix of silver, minty green, orange and black ceramic is spot on and different from any other watch I’ve worn. The watch came mounted on a 22mm tan leather strap that worked well with the orange highlights.

With a starting price of $1,680 ($1,790 as pictured), the Fortis Cosmonautis Chronographs are easily one of the best values for a new Swiss-made chronograph, and they’re truly gorgeous watches as well. Sure, there is some competition at around $2,000, but the Fortis stands apart with its blend of classic and unique elements and expert finish. I’d say the only thing that might hold one back is the size, which, while tolerable, verges on large for the design.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Stihl vs Husqvarna is to loggers what Ford vs Chevy is to racers. If you talk to ten random loggers, you'll find about a 50/50 split between those who prefer Stihl chainsaws and those who prefer Husqvarna chainsaws. Everyone has their own rationale for why they use the chainsaw they use. At the end of the day, both brands have high-quality professional grade models that perform well in the woods, so the choice is up to you.

In the end, choosing a chainsaw boils down to your cutting style and preferences. Loggers who like a Husky say it speeds through a cut faster so they can make the final cut on a tree as it falls quicker, which gives them more time to get out of the way. Stihl enthusiasts say they like their preferred chainsaw because it has the low-end torque needed (as POULAN PRO PP5020AV ) to power through the toughest pieces of wood with ease.

The fact is, both companies make great saws. Before selecting a brand, try models of comparable size and power from both companies to gauge which you prefer. There is an easy and inexpensive way to do this. A lot of equipment rental companies rent Stihl and Husqvarna chainsaws by the hour or day. While you may not find the exact model you're looking for you can get a feel for the brand by testing a saw of the same brand that comes closest to what you want. Be sure to ask how many hours each saw has clocked and how old each is. If you compare one chainsaw that is significantly older than another, you will get skewed results. It's also a good idea to run each saw for a full day to get a good sense of its features and benefits.

After using each chainsaw, write a list of the things you liked and disliked about each. When you take the saw back to the rental store don't be shy about asking the mechanic if the saw needed more than the average amount of maintenance, if they had to service the saw frequently and which brand they prefer. It's also a good idea to ask other loggers or arborists what brand of chainsaw they prefer and why. After you compare all of your notes you're ready to purchase the brand that suits you best.

Everyone's experience is different depending on their specific needs and demands. Some simply prefer the torque and low maintenance of a Stihl, while others prefer the hardiness of a Husqvarna. The most important factor is that the chainsaw does its job properly and safely.

A good chainsaw will help increase your production and output. It will also minimize how many times you need to tighten or change chains. If you keep up with the recommended maintenance and necessary repairs, either brand will last you years.

Friday, October 6, 2017

Built on proven BeyondRAID™ technology, the
Drobo B800fs allows the sharing of files with all
computers on the network and keeps your vital
business data protected with Drobo Sync offsite
replication. Drobo B800fs connects seamlessly
to your existing Ethernet network and supports
both Windows and Mac computers. DroboApps
give you the freedom to customize your Drobo to
meet your own unique set of requirements.
BeyondRAID Technology
A Drobo B800fs file sharing array can hold
up to 32TB of raw storage and beyond as
drive capacities increase. To add capacity,
simply insert a new hard drive or replace your
smallest drive with a larger one, even when
all drive bays are full. Unlike traditional RAID,
BeyondRAID technology in Drobo enables you to
leverage different drive capacities, allowing for
continuous expansion as larger drives become
available. With Drobo, expansion is automatic
and instantaneous and access to data is always
maintained, all while protecting you from two
simultaneous drive failures.
Centralized Backup for Your Entire Network
The Drobo B800fs enables network backup for
Mac and Windows users at small offices or in
workgroup environments:
• Backing up your PC to your Drobo is as easy
as using Drobo as a target for your favorite
backup application. Provide a fast and reliable
data protection solution for your critical data
assets.
• The Drobo B800fs delivers seamless support
for Apple Time Machine. Using Time Machine
with Drobo B800fs is as easy as clicking a box
in Drobo Dashboard.
Offsite Data Protection
The Drobo B800fs includes an intelligent and
easy-to-use data replication tool that can
seamlessly back up your valuable data from
one Drobo to another one on your network or
across the Internet to a remote site. Having
your data protected offsite guards you from a
major disaster, resulting in peace of mind. Learn
more about Drobo Sync at www.drobo.com/
solutions/for-business/drobo-sync.
Share Files Directly From Drobo
Drobo B800fs connects directly to your Ethernet
network to make sharing your data easy. Just
plug it into any switch and you’re ready to go.
The Drobo B800fs has two Gigabit Ethernet
ports that can be configured to fail over if one
link fails or can be set up to connect to two
separate networks – one for your data and the
other for Drobo Sync replication, for example.
Connect to Drobo, and access shared data, using
any Windows or Mac computer. Drobo natively
supports CIFS/SMB and AFP network protocols.
Protection From Two Drive Failures
Enable the dual-drive redundancy option to
protect your data from failure of up to two
hard drives. It’s all done with a single click and
without ever losing access to your data.
Running out of space? Switch back to singledrive
redundancy at any time. Unlike moving
between traditional RAID 5 and RAID 6, there’s
no need to reformat or migrate data from the
Drobo B800fs, potentially saving you hours or
days of downtime.
E

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

I’m a flashlight snob. If I like a light product, it had better be good.

I didn’t become a flashlight (for example: SUNJACK LIGHTSTICK )snob by accident. I drew the short straw after a pursuit and ended up crawling under a house looking for a suspect. Halfway through the mission, my flashlight failed. I am a “press check” kind of guy, and I also carry a spare. I got the bad guy.

I tested the Pelican 7600, a compact, machined-aluminum, self-programmable, multi-color LED flashlight. My tests suggest that the Pelican 7600 may be a top patrol light choice for police officers today.

If you’re one of those readers who skim through product reviews to find the three reasons, I’ll give them to you up front. After that, you’ll want to read the whole review and then try the product yourself. The Pelican 7600:

1. Is dual-powered.

2. Has a usable form factor.

3. Has an ideal beam (or three) for patrol.

PELICAN 7600 SPECS

The 7600 is 6.19 inches long and 1.3 inches in diameter. Rather than designing a straight textured tube like most products in the industry, this light has a switch assembly and a bezel that makes it thicker on the ends. Without aggressive texturing, this torch gives the user a positive grip and is easy to orient without looking at it.

The 7600’s brightest output is 944 lumens (12,693 candela). The medium and low settings are 479 and 37 lumens respectively.

More important, the beam has a reassuring bright center and generous spillbeam. It uses a textured reflector that throws a flood beam without hard edges.

The beam is consistent in brightness and concentric to the body of the light, with no hot spots or “bad doughnuts.” This is a good thing, as the two LED emitters fire through the same reflector.

The 7600 is IPX8, making it fully submersible, which is no surprise as Pelican is a company known for rugged equipment. The part that is a surprise is that it has a rotating ring switch in the bezel, a hard piece of engineering to make submersible.

PELICAN 7600 FIELD USE

The 7600 body design affords a non-slip grip that makes it easy to keep this flashlight in hand during a foot pursuit or if an officer is suddenly engaged in close-quarters combat. It is a great size for stuffing under the arm for reloads and writing citations.

For night ops, the thumb stays near the switch, while enough of the head protrudes from the front to put the emitter forward of the trigger, instead of alongside of it, for Harries technique users.

The 7600 is programmable by pressing the momentary tail switch a prescribed number of times. Mine came in the default mode, which is high/strobe/medium/low when I use the momentary switch in sequence. I like this mode because it starts with high, and then a second press gives me a strobe. The other programming options include high only and a low beam on the initial tail switch press.

With the default programming, a startle response on the thumb switch goes from the bright beam to the strobe, which is exactly what I want. It is simple to cycle through the options to get to the lowest setting. It’s a little brighter than other low beams from similar products, but the bonus is having red and green settings. The red and green settings don’t dim or strobe, which is fine by me.

The thumb switch is click on. Momentary is a half press, click on is a full press. The switch is recessed enough to prevent accidental activation. It has a textured rubber cover and a positive feel.

The switch goes from white light to red and then green. These LEDs fire through the reflector and, although the purpose is for preserving night vision and illuminating evidence, they are pretty bright auxiliary LEDs.

The red is good for preserving night vision. The green LED did a great job increasing contrast for certain things. It’s not exactly a forensic light source, but it will work for an initial sweep at the patrol level. Hunters use green because many animals don’t see, or are indifferent to, green light.

PELICAN 7600 BATTERY LIFE

The battery life is a little better than average for the light output. It was designed for an entire shift. The lowest light output setting will go 29 hours with the rechargeable battery cell.

Pelican uses a high quality 2600MAh lithium-ion cell seated solidly in the body. Dropping this light from 4 feet onto concrete did not interrupt the beam or damage the lens, even with a direct hit.

The fourth position of the rotating ring exposes the USB charging port. One downside is it takes five hours to charge the 18650 cell. Pelican has an answer for that too. First, it uses standard USB charging, not some proprietary, hard-to-replace fixture. Second, the light comes with an adapter to insert (and store) two CR123 cells.

The Pelican 7600 is definitely a product that can be sworn in any time.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

For several years the discussion on adult was based round the opinion that succumbing to the lure of adult signified some sort of moral failing. From a religious/Christian perspective, it had been a question of sinfulness. A sign that certain has allowed yourself to become contaminated with a number of of the seven intended deadliest of sins, lust and/or gluttony. Or, from a feminist pointofview, adult is observed since the dangerous exploitation of ladies as erotic, one dimensional materials without mankind other than kind. Nonetheless as Naomi Wolf points out in her guide, The Porn Myth, really the outcome of too much experience of pornography has had the effect, not of turning guys into sexually ravenous beasts, however the complete opposite; intimate and emotional anorexics who will nolonger associate authentically to a reallife trauma therapy nyc or get excited by one. As it seems, extreme viewing of porn in this digital-age turns males off, not on.

As much studies currently display, repetitive and obsessive viewing of internet adult by guys (plus a growing variety of females) causes the alternative influence than one may anticipate, and being a one who is hooked on a develops progressively desensitized for the medicine although continuing to desire it a growing number of, an individual who is dependent on porn sees he or she winds up on just about the same, well trodden treadmill. Extremely needing a thing that can no longer give you the temporary comfort and pleasure it once did need sex addiction therapy.

Recent research shows that internet pornography is as addictive as specified drugs and affects mental performance exactly the same method. But, adult's specific hook is the fact that it taps into that human importance of addition, connection and belonging a lot more than addictive ingredients with the addition of into the combination hormones which can be usually connected with bonding, love and connection. In-effect, a adult addict becomes more attached with porn than something or someone else within their life. For that reason, associations, marriages, function and quickly enough, the connection using the home begins to experience porn addiction help.

Adult addiction, like every addiction undergoes phases - however, unlike other addictions, the physical effects of porn addiction are almost invisible, and the emotional and mental outcomes are very subtle, at first. Infact, several adult addicts may seek therapy for a selection of mentalhealth problems such as panic, depression and OCD, as well as bodily problems, strain, other addictions and finally structural sexual performance before anyone considers to inquire about their porn viewing habits.

But more and more reports clearly link issues related to sexual anorexia, including erectile dysfunction in guys in their late teenagers and early twenties sexual addiction counseling, (something that was practically unheard-of 10 - 15 years back) back to extensive viewing of web porn. It is only if they could no longer get an erection, or climax despite adult that some males begin to create the connection between their excessive viewing of porn along with other issues within their existence. Typically this is actually the only thing that ultimately get's their attention to pornography addiction help. (Their partners, whenever they have partners, could have recognized for some time that something was occurring, or rather sex addiction treatment ny... not happening!)

This sorry situation is bad information for both sex addiction counselors and spouses of porn addicts. Several who commit evening after night lying in sleep alongside a partner that never appears to be 'inside the temper' for gender. The end result may be damaging to marriages, relationships and the self esteem of both events. The secretive nature on most menis adult addiction may also signify some companions may not understand that they are in a connection using a adult addict and sometimes even if they're conscious of their associate's adult behavior, they may not create the text initially both. Or they may not recognize the extent of their companionis adult viewing. The harm this causes connections is to date immeasurable. One site states that 56% of divorces within trauma therapy the U.S. require one-party having an excessive fascination with porn, among different shocking data.

Therefore, may be the news all poor? Well, no. Latest mind research demonstrates the brain is really extremely flexible and soft, similar to plasticine. In fact the term for the method the brain can transform itself, depending on what is experienced, is known as neuroplasticity sex addiction therapist. This really is good-news while the same way you receive yourself right into a sticky situation is largely the identical method to get out of it. While the draw of internet adult may have dropped its elegance several ticks previously, the habit that it's designed will be difficult to split sex addiction therapy nyc. Tough, although not difficult. For guys who've dropped the capability to relate solely to ladies, mentally and physically, as well as for lovers of fans there seems little alternative, other than to reduce the partnership, which let us encounter it, is rather likely. It cannot be much fun to be in a romance having a porn addict. However, chances are that should you leave a connection with one adult addict, you're probably to operate into another just like addicted, or on his strategy to being therefore, seeing as in the United States at the least, gender dependency (which porn dependency is a kind of) has already reached crisis standing, based on a 2011 News Week article trauma therapists nyc.

Therefore, how can you beat a adult dependency and reverse its consequences around the head? Well the answer is easy, or even straightforward and also this is merely to avoid it. Cease all contact with porn and masturbating to porn and provides your brain a chance to sculpt itself and re-learn, or rediscover what comes naturally sexual addiction therapy.

That is the only real solution. Used to do say it had been basic trauma psychologist, however not easy. Dealing with porn habit (for addicts and/or associates) takes some time, courage and commitment and it is difficult to complete without help. There are sex addicts nyc a few excellent sites given that can assist, (which I shall record below inside the methods) however the help of a counselor who is aware of the character of porn and sex habit, person who will require it really can be elementary to resilient recovery sex addiction treatment nyc. At least, having a close friend or understanding spouse (if that is probable) that you know and confidence can be important. The cause of that is that adult and sex addiction most likely hide different issues. Dilemmas including fear of intimacy, abandonment concerns, addition issues, and perhaps even injury. Once porn addiction treatment the support of adult has quit the sex addiction treatment, then there's nothing to safeguard your unconscious defences and odds are some profoundly buried emotional injuries may re open sex addiction nyc.

It is important to become aware of this probability as numerous who try and 'reboot' as it is called on sites for example Your Mind on Porn and Fight the Brand New Medication typically attempt often and crash because they are inadequately organized or lack service trauma therapist nyc.

If you're experiencing porn dependency or would be the spouse of a porn addict, seek aid from the qualified specialist and/or view a few of the websites listed below to learn more.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Many business owners struggle with keeping their small business finances organized. As a business owner, you have to wear multiple hats, and few entrepreneurs are trained in sales, marketing, product development, operations, human resources, technology, and finance! However, you’re still responsible for paying your taxes and making sure your business can meet all of its financial obligations.Don’t let small business finances stress you out. Instead, follow these tips to stay organized, and the burden of wearing the Chief Financial Officer hat will become much more manageable.

1. Keep Your Personal and Business Finances Separate

By far, the most important thing you should do as a business owner is ensure all of your personal and business finances are completely separate. If your business is a sole proprietorship, it can be particularly easy to co-mingle your personal and business finances, but don’t do it! That means you need separate bank accounts and credit cards. If you purchase something for the business with your personal credit card or cash, document it with an expense report, and pay yourself back using money from the business account.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Customer support isn’t easy. Any business owner can tell you that once the customers start coming in, it becomes really difficult to keep up with your day-to-day routine. Even more difficult is that you have to keep every customer satisfied, because in essence, they are what keeps your business going.

Whether you’re providing support by yourself or you’ve got a small team dedicated to helping your customers, make sure you’re following these steps for maximum customer satisfaction.

Step 1 – Know Your Product

What are you selling? Why is it useful? What can go wrong while using it? How often does this happen? These are all questions that you and your team need to know the answers to. It’s not enough to just be helpful. You need to be an expert.

Try using your product just as your customer would. Figure out what could lead to dissatisfaction with your product. Knowing in advance the issue that your customer is calling with, ensures that you are prepared to handle your customer quickly and efficiently.

Customer support isn’t easy. Any business owner can tell you that once the customers start coming in, it becomes really difficult to kee...

5 Great Small Business Ideas

Career coaching - Want to help and inspire people for a living? Starting a career coaching practice could be the key to doing what you love and making a difference. Through career coaching you can work with clients of all ages, from young people who don't know what career path to pursue or how to land their dream job, to older people looking for a career change. Help prep clients for interviews, improve their resumes and find their passions.

Online retailer - You don't have to be a big-box retailer to start an online store. Whether you sell directly to consumers or use a drop-shipping service, all you need is a website and the right e-commerce software to get started. You can sell your own products or items from niche suppliers. Alternatively, if you're crafty, you can also sell your own handcrafted creations on Etsy or similar online marketplaces.

Event planner - Do you love throwing parties and organizing meetings? Start an event-planning business and turn your passion into a profitable venture. As an event planner, you can help individuals and corporations plan their need to be resourceful and have a keen eye for detail. You will also need the patience to deal with clients' demands and the ability to stay calm during stressful situations and unforeseen disasters.

Home-based food services - If you love baking or cooking, consider launching a home-based bakery, personal chef or catering business. You can whip up your concoctions for individuals, events, and local businesses and organizations. Not only is it a rewarding opportunity to make money doing what you love, but it's also a great way to test your culinary chops before investing in a full-fledged brick-and-mortar establishment. Keep in mind that home-based food businesses are heavly regulated, so start by figuring out the rules and regulations in your area.

Yard work - Got rake, will travel? Most landscapers will cut grass, but they don't necessarily do the stuff that most homeowners don't have time to do themselves, such as weeding, planting, leaf raking, snow shoveling, hanging or removing holiday decorations. With little more than some work gloves and a ladder, you could be in business in no time.